Starfighter to be repainted at new home

The Starfighter recently arrived at Canada's British Columbia Aviation Museum – it will now be repainted

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USAF plots U-2S Dragon Lady retirement for 2026

The USAF has confirmed that it plans to retire its fleet of U-2S Dragon Lady high-altitude surveillance aircraft in 2026, after the air arm’s FY24 budget documents noted that expectations were for “protective [National Defense Authorization Act] language to be waived… allowing the USAF to move forward with U-2 divestment in FY26”

US Navy’s VP-30 sends last P-3C Orion to the Boneyard

The US Navy’s Patrol Squadron 30 (VP-30) ‘The Pro’s Nest’ hosted a sundown ceremony to bid farewell to its final Lockheed P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft at NAS Jacksonville in Florida on June 23, bringing to an end more than 60 years of operations with the type

Argentina receives new C-130H under lease from US

The USAF has leased a Lockheed C-130H Hercules from the Georgia ANG to the Argentine Air Force, marking the beginning of an 11-month collaboration that will see the tactical transport play a crucial role in logistical support and supply operations across Argentina and Antarctica

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SR-71 mission: Flying into a warzone

In the March 2013 issue of FlyPast Warren E Thompson described an incredible long-range mission during the Yom Kippur War

The time I flew an SR-71 for Kelly Johnson and the Skunk Works

Key.Aero’s Dino Carrara interviewed pilot Ed Yeilding to hear about his time assigned to the SR-71 Blackbird. In this last section of the interview he describes being asked to do a special flight for the Skunk Works

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Blackbird backseater on missions, sensors and more

In a remarkable career spanning more than three decades, Col Don Emmons (ret’d) gained a special insight into the top-secret Lockheed SR-71. In the December 2020 issue of Aviation News he revealed to Dr Kevin Wright how he became involved in the programme and recounts his experiences flying in the Blackbird and managing its return to flight in the 1990s

SR-71 pilot: a hurricane, MiG-31 and other amazing tales

Key.Aero’s Dino Carrara interviewed pilot Ed Yeilding to hear about his time assigned to the SR-71 Blackbird. He describes here his most memorable operational missions, including the time he encountered a hurricane and another that involved a MiG-31

What the SR-71 was like to fly at Mach 3

Key.Aero’s Dino Carrara interviewed pilot Ed Yeilding to hear about his time assigned to the SR-71 Blackbird. In this segment of the interview he provides fascinating insights about the flying characteristics of the Mach 3+ jet

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Planning the SR-71’s supersonic missions: Behind the scenes  

In the March 2013 issue of FlyPast, Ben Dunnell spoke to Lt Col Tom Charters to find out how it was decided where to send the SR-71 on its supersonic missions